On The Road With Legal Talk Network

The speed and efficiency of your practice always has the potential for improvement. In this report from On The Road, host Christopher Anderson talks to Amani Smathers and Gina Bongiovi about process mapping and how it can improve your legal business management. From understanding issues completely to identifying unrecognized waste, cleaning up your processes can lead to a more efficient law firm. Amani Smathers currently works as a legal solutions architect at Davis Wright Tremaine – De Novo, where she helps design and implement legal and business solutions for the firm and its clients. Gina Bongiovi is the owner of Bongiovi Law Firm which provides her clients with business-minded legal advice that addresses all facets of business ownership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Executive order passed that banned immigrants to enter the US from specific countries, confusion ensued even among lawyers regarding which immigrants they actually applied to. In this report from On The Road, host Laurence Colletti interviews Reid Trautz, a director within the American Association of Immigration Lawyers, about the details of the current and future Executive orders. Reid also provides resources for lawyers interested in immigrant representation. Reid Trautz is a management advisor to attorneys and law firms in the areas of business processes, technology, marketing, and legal ethics. He is director of the Practice & Professionalism Center of the American Association of Immigration Lawyers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talk of shifting immigration laws has been rampant in early 2017, so how can and should we as lawyers get involved? In this report from On The Road, host Laurence Colletti and guest host Reid Trautz talk to Judge Dana Leigh Marks and Esther Olavarria about current and future immigration orders, the legal representation of immigrants, and what actions lawyers can take to help. Their discussion also provides resources that lawyers can use to get involved. Dana Leigh Marks has been an immigration judge in San Francisco since January of 1987.  Since 1999 she has served seven two-year terms as president and two two-year terms as vice president of the NAIJ. Esther Olavarria is on detail from the Department of Homeland Security to the Domestic Policy Council to work on immigration reform. She previously served as counsel and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy at DHS. Reid Trautz is a management advisor to attorneys and law firms in the areas of business processes, technology, marketing, and legal ethics. He is

Somewhere along the way, lawyers decided ethics CLEs were boring. But since they’re still important, the ABA decided to put together a touring program that uses role playing in order to make the subjects more relatable to lawyers. In this report from On The Road, host Laurence Colletti talks to Greg Brooker and Katherine Mikkelson about this program and how it has grown. During the episode, they also give examples of their role playing scenarios, their parts ranging from disgruntled cops to confused U.S. Senators. Greg Brooker is an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He serves as Chief of the Civil Division. Katherine Mikkelson has over 15 years of experience in the field and her articles have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Adoptive Families magazine as well as professional association publications, small business and nonprofit communications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is now legal for Americans to travel to Cuba and bring home goodies like cigars and/or rum. Relations with Cuba have changed under the Obama administration and will likely continue to change while Trump is in the White House. In this report from On The Road, Laurence Colletti and special host Adam Camras discuss the United States’ legal ties to Cuba with Carolina Blanco, Peter Quinter, and Simons Chase. In their discussion, they cover Cuba’s role in U.S. economy, commercial opportunities there, and the wet foot, dry foot policy. Peter Quinter is a shareholder and customs attorney in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale law offices of GrayRobinson. He is the chair of the Customs & International Trade Law Group. Simons Chase is the co-founder and editor in chief of Cuba Journal, the leading website covering Cuba. He has over 20 years of media, technology, and principal investing experience. Carolina Blanco is an associate in Hill Ward Henderson’s Litigation Group. Her practice covers an array of commercial litig

Netflix may be known for quality streaming of shows and movies, but you can bet that the company is backed by skilled attorneys. Attorneys play a vital role in the production of art, film, music, and television. In this report from On The Road, host Laurence Colletti talks to Rich Rappaport, Neda Ghomeshi, Bryan Thompson, Emily Graham, Tyler Rabinowitz, Jose Sariego, and Shannon Harvey about entertainment lawyers. The group discusses the importance of creating quality content, building a large fanbase, and adjusting to new and improving distribution channels. They also mention how essential it is that attorneys involved in this industry keep up with growing technology. Richard Warren Rappaport is an attorney and principal in the law firm of Richard Warren Rappaport, Esquire, and is licensed to practice in Florida, New York, and Washington, DC, with offices in Boca Raton and Miami Beach. Neda Ghomeshi is an associate at HTFL's Miami office where she practices in the Litigation, Securities/Regulatory Enforcem

The words “nuclear option” have been dominating the news as a result of Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination for Supreme Court justice. Aside from sounding terrifying, what does it mean to resort to the nuclear option and why is it significant? In today’s report from On The Road, host Laurence Colletti and guests Karen Popp and Russell Wheeler hash out rules of Senate voting and discuss the decrease in judges qualified to be nominated for the Supreme Court. They also talk about the potential long term effects of using the nuclear option within the senate, both positive and negative. Russell R. Wheeler is president of the Governance Institute and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution. His current focus includes legislative-judicial relations and immigrant adjudication. Karen A. Popp is the global co-leader of Sidley Austin LLP’s White Collar: Government Litigation & Investigations group. Her practice is informed by a wealth of government and private sector experience, including service as a federal prose

Imagine cars that can drive themselves. According to this report from On The Road, this might be a possibility in the near future. Host Laurence Colletti talks to Brian Willis, Andrew Korge, and Mike Suarez about road rage and the technological solutions that the future might bring. Their discussion ranges from why we get so frustrated while behind the wheel to the advantages and disadvantages of driverless vehicles. Brian Willis is a real estate and business attorney with a focus on litigation.  He has been recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Florida Super Lawyers magazine, Florida Trend magazine, Creative Loafing, and the Tampa Bay Times. Andrew M. Korge is currently the vice president of Strategic Development at Lynx Companies. A 3rd generation Miamian, Andrew is a businessman and entrepreneur who works in real estate, is a fundraiser, and has built several organizations that engage the next generation of leaders in civics, politics, and policy. Mike Suarez is the president of Suarez Insurance

Whether you’re a litigator interacting with corporate counsel on a service basis or you’re completely new to the in-house role, differing perspectives are an essential part of successful corporate counsel. In this report from On the Road, host Laurence Colletti talks to Kara Jermain, an associate counsel at Gallup, about corporate counsel. Along with general best practices, they discuss the advantages of in-house lawyers who can multitask and the importance of communication between team mates. Kara Jermain is currently an associate counsel at Gallup, Inc. Prior to Gallup, she worked as a law clerk then associate attorney at Lamson, Dugan and Murray, LLP. She graduated in 2010 from Creighton University School of Law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alan Dimond, chair of the American Bar Association’s Commission on the American Jury, joins Laurence Colletti in this report from On The Road to discuss the commission and why the number of trials in the U.S. seems to have fallen so dramatically. According to their preliminary report, there are financial, sentencing, and other contributing reasons for fewer trials in the states, and the commission is investigating whether this is something that the ABA can and/or should try to change. Alan Dimond is a lawyer at the law firm of Greenberg Traurig LLP. Prior to that he was a trial lawyer for the local county government in Miami-Dade, Florida. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So you’ve gone to law school and you know how to take tests really, really well, but did you know that being a real lawyer can involve business and tech knowledge beyond what you were tested on? In this episode of On the Road, host Laurence Colletti talks to Anna Romanskaya, chair of the ABA’s Young Lawyers Division (YLD). Together, they discuss the initiatives the YLD is taking to give young lawyers the business experience they didn’t receive in school. They also talk about what the YLD is doing to improve access to education for the generation that hasn’t yet reached law school. Anna M. Romanskaya is a partner with Stark & D’Ambrosio, LLP and manages the firm’s family law division. She represents clients in all aspects of family law, including pre and post marital agreements, dissolution, child custody, child and spousal support, property division, and post judgment issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A committee was established by the Conference of Chief Justices with the goal of finding ways to improve the cost and efficiency of the civil justice system. In this report from On the Road, host Laurence Colletti interviews members of that committee including Judge Bailey, Dean Lieberman, Chief Justice Balmer, and Chief Justice Jefferson. Together, they discuss their report which details 13 ways state court systems can improve civil cases. These recommendations range from curbing excessive discovery to simply using time effectively. Judge Jennifer D. Bailey has been a circuit court judge in Miami-Dade, Florida, for twenty-four years. She is the Administrative Judge for the 25-judge Circuit Civil Division, and handles a docket of complex business litigation cases. Hannah Lieberman joined the David A. Clarke School of Law as associate dean of Experiential and Clinical Programs in September, 2016, bringing to the position broad experience as a leader and litigator in the public interest sector. In her new pos

If you want to be a successful lawyer, law school is a given. With the hike in student loans, however, it may be a while before you actually make any money. In this report On the Road, Sharon Nelson and Sandy Gallant-Jones interview Crystal Araujo, Jennifer Nicholls, Michael Dumas, and Whitney Barkley about rising student loans and what this means for new lawyers. A couple programs are in place to help students with their debt, like income-driven payment plans and loan repayment assistance programs, but different borrowers need different solutions. For example, recent graduates aren’t the only ones concerned about their debt. Older graduates and those who paid for their children to attend college are also experiencing this burden and potential solutions may look different for them. The group discusses this as well as the way law schools are reacting to the concerns of their students. Some schools are marketing affordability, but is this enough to encourage the attendance of potential students wary of the expe

There are often many things going on with the American Bar Association, but few know more about them than ABA President Linda Klein. In this On The Road report, Digital Detectives hosts Sharon Nelson and John Simek interview Linda Klein about current hot button issues for the association. Together, they discuss Linda’s statement regarding the recent presidential executive orders on immigration, the veterans initiative, the ABA Blueprint web tool, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, and Law Day 2017. Tune in for an inside look at what the American Bar Association has going on. Linda Klein is the senior managing shareholder at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz and president of the American Bar Association. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s still Love Your Lawyer Day and as such our coverage continues with an interview of its founder Nader Anise from the American Lawyers Public Image Association. But stay tuned, more of our Legal Talk Network hosts return for a bonus segment! Participating Hosts: Monica Bay from Law Technology Now - @MonicaBay Victor Li from ABA Journal’s Legal Rebels - @LawScribbler Chris Morgan from ABA Law Students Podcast - @ChrisMorgan1992 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is November 4th 2016 and that means only one thing... It’s Love Your Lawyer Day! In this report from On The Road, executive producer Laurence Colletti interviews your favorite Legal Talk Network hosts about how they’re spending time during this holiday de jure. Tune in for heart-warming conversations and hijinks a plenty! Participating Hosts: Adriana Linares from New Solo Christopher Anderson from Un-Billable Hour John Simek from Digital Detectives Sharon Nelson from Digital Detectives Stephanie Francis Ward from ABA Journal’s Asked and Answered Jared Correia from Legal Toolkit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many attorneys can feel huge pressure from their peers to utilize cloud based technologies in an attempt to stay competitive within the legal marketplace. In this report from On The Road, hosts Joe Patrice and Elie Mystal speak with Estey & Bomberger LLP Of Counsel Jeff Bennion, Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C. Principal Denver Edwards, and MyCase Legal Technology Evangelist Nicole Black about the professional advantages provided by cloud based technologies and the steps lawyers can take to mitigate the cybersecurity risks these technologies expose them to. Nikki Black, Denver Edwards, and Jeff Bennion spoke on a panel regarding cybersecurity and cloud issues for lawyers at the Above the Law Academy for Private Practice conference in October 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the influx of emergent legal technologies it can be difficult for attorneys to discern which programs are best for their law practice or law firm. In this report from On The Road, hosts Joe Patrice and Elie Mystal speak with attorney Bob Ambrogi about cloud based practice management software and what lawyers should consider when choosing a program that is right for them. Bob Ambrogi is the only person to have held top editorial positions at both National Law Journal and Lawyers Weekly USA. He writes two nationally-recognized blogs, LawSites, covering new networking sites and technology for the legal profession, and MediaLaw, on freedom of the press. Ambrogi is a Massachusetts attorney representing clients at the intersection of law, media, and technology for his firm, The Law Office of Robert J. Ambrogi. He is also the host of two Legal Talk Network podcasts, Lawyer 2 Lawyer and Law Technology Now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When marketing your products at a convention or industry event it can be difficult to adequately promote your brand within the allotted presentation time. In this report from On The Road, host Monica Bay talks with Allegory founder and CEO Alma Asay, Alt Legal founder and CEO Nehal Madhani, and eBrevia CEO Ned Gannon about the Alt Legal Innovation Awards, what it was like presenting their products in under three minutes, and their advice to other entrepreneurs looking to refine how they market their products. Alma Asay has a history in complex commercial litigations, primarily in the fields of media, entertainment and technology and is the founder and CEO of Allegory, a litigation management application that automates everyday tasks for lawyers. Nehal Madhani is an attorney and the founder and CEO of Alt Legal, a cloud-based software trusted by Am Law 200 firms, boutique firms, and in-house legal departments to prepare and manage thousands of IP filings every day. Ned Gannon has a history in corporate law

When considering available marketing options many attorneys are aware that the internet and web based media are invaluable tools for client acquisition and reputation management. However, many of these lawyers are not sure how to leverage new media to maximize the potential marketing benefits for their particular law practice. In this report from On The Road, host Laurence Colletti speaks with attorneys Oscar Michelen and Scott Limmer about their podcast and how creating a podcast can improve your marketing and social media presence. Oscar Michelen and Scott Limmer are both attorneys and co-founders of the podcast "Reboot Your Law Practice." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices